Vehicle vision system with customized display

ABSTRACT

A vehicle vision system includes a plurality of cameras having respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle. A processor is operable to process image data captured by the cameras and to generate images of the environment surrounding the vehicle. The processor is operable to generate a three dimensional vehicle representation of the vehicle. A display screen is operable to display the generated images of the environment surrounding the vehicle and to display the generated vehicle representation of the equipped vehicle as would be viewed from a virtual camera viewpoint. At least one of (a) a degree of transparency of at least a portion of the displayed vehicle representation is adjustable by the system, (b) the vehicle representation comprises a vector model and (c) the vehicle representation comprises a shape, body type, body style and/or color corresponding to that of the actual equipped vehicle.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a 371 national phase filing of PCTApplication No. PCT/US2012/068331, filed Dec. 7, 2012, which claims thefiling benefit of U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/706,406,filed Sep. 27, 2012; Ser. No. 61/615,410, filed Mar. 26, 2012; Ser. No.61/570,017, filed Dec. 13, 2011; and Ser. No. 61/568,791, filed Dec. 9,2011, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to imaging systems or vision systems forvehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Use of imaging sensors in vehicle imaging systems is common and known.Examples of such known systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.7,161,616; 5,949,331; 5,670,935; and/or 5,550,677, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a vision system or imaging system for avehicle that utilizes one or more cameras to capture images exterior ofthe vehicle, and provides the communication/data signals, includingcamera data or image data, that may be displayed at a display screenthat is viewable by the driver of the vehicle, such as when the driveris backing up the vehicle, and that may be processed and, responsive tosuch image processing, the system may detect an object at or near thevehicle and in the path of travel of the vehicle, such as when thevehicle is backing up. The system is operable to display a surround viewor bird's-eye view of the environment at or around or at least partiallysurrounding the subject or equipped vehicle, and the displayed imageincludes a displayed image representation of the subject vehicle that atleast partially corresponds to the actual subject vehicle, so that thedriver can cognitively associate the displayed image as beingrepresentative of the driven vehicle and readily understand that thedisplayed vehicle represents the vehicle that he/she is driving.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a vision system for avehicle includes multiple cameras or image sensors disposed at a vehicleand having respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle, and aprocessor operable to process image data captured by the camera. Theprocessor processes captured image data to generate images, such asthree dimensional images, of the environment surrounding the equippedvehicle, and the processor is operable to generate a three dimensionalvehicle representation of the equipped vehicle. A display screen isoperable to display the generated images of the environment surroundingthe equipped vehicle and to display the three dimensional vehiclerepresentation of the equipped vehicle as the representation would beviewed from a virtual camera viewpoint exterior to and higher than theequipped vehicle itself. At least one of (a) a degree of transparency ofat least a portion of the displayed vehicle representation isadjustable, (b) the vehicle representation comprises a vector model and(c) the vehicle representation comprises at least one of (i) a shapecorresponding to that of the actual equipped vehicle, (ii) a body typecorresponding to that of the actual equipped vehicle, (iii) a body stylecorresponding to that of the actual equipped vehicle and (iv) a colorcorresponding to that of the actual equipped vehicle.

The vision system thus may select or adjust the displayed vehicle imageor representation that is representative of the equipped vehicle toprovide an enhanced display of the surrounding environment (such as byadjusting a degree of transparency or opaqueness of the displayedvehicle representation of the subject vehicle) and/or enhanced cognitiverecognition by the driver of the equipped vehicle that the displayedvehicle representation represents the equipped vehicle that is beingdriven by the driver (such as by matching or coordinating the vehicletype or style or color or the like of the displayed vehiclerepresentation with the actual vehicle type or style or color or thelike of the actual particular subject vehicle). For example, a portionof the generated vehicle representation (such as an avatar of thevehicle or virtual vehicle or the like) may be rendered at leastpartially transparent or non-solid to allow “viewing through” thedisplayed vehicle representation to view an object at or near thevehicle that may be “blocked” by the vehicle representation, which maybe between the displayed object and the virtual camera.

The present invention may also or otherwise provide a calibration systemfor the vision system or imaging system, which utilizes multiple camerasto capture images exterior of the vehicle, such as rearwardly andsidewardly and forwardly of the vehicle, such as for a surround view orbird's-eye view system of a vehicle. The cameras providecommunication/data signals, including camera data or image data that isdisplayed for viewing by the driver of the vehicle and that is processedto merge the captured images from the cameras to provide or display acontinuous surround view image for viewing by the driver of the vehicle.The cameras and/or image processing is calibrated to provide thecontinuous image or merged images. When the cameras and/or imageprocessing is calibrated, the captured images can be stitched or mergedtogether to provide a substantially seamless top-down view or bird's-eyeview at the vehicle via capturing images and processing images capturedby the vehicle cameras.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a vision system for avehicle includes multiple cameras or image sensors disposed at a vehicleand having respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle, and aprocessor operable to process data transmitted by the camera. Theprocessor comprises a camera calibration algorithm that is operable tocompare captured image data of a portion of the equipped vehicle withstored or received data (such as uploaded data from a database or datareceived from a remote source or the like) that is representative ofwhere the portion of the equipped vehicle should be in the capturedimage data for a calibrated vision system. The vision system adjusts theimage processing and/or the camera so that the captured image data ofthe portion of the equipped vehicle is within a threshold level of wherethe portion of the equipped vehicle is in the stored or received data(such that the camera field of view and/or the captured image is withina threshold height, width, depth, tilt and/or rotation of the stored orreceived calibrated camera image).

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle with a vision system and imagingsensors or cameras that provide exterior fields of view in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic of the vision system of the present invention,showing an aberration angle α from the center viewing direction of thevirtual camera and the distance to an object;

FIG. 3 is a schematic of the vision system of the present invention,showing small distances between a virtual camera and an object where thetransparency is relatively high, and shown with the aberration angle αfrom the center viewing direction being zero;

FIG. 4 is a schematic of the vision system of the present invention,showing the influence of the distance and aberration angle to thetransparency of an object;

FIG. 5 is a schematic of the vision system of the present invention,showing the dependence of transparency on the distance and viewing angleresulting in a circle like opening of surfaces when a virtual camera isclosing and finally diving into a virtual object or surface, especiallywhen moving the virtual camera or viewpoint;

FIG. 6 is a schematic of an automotive vision camera that provides dataand that is controlled from an image processing control device, with theimage processing control device providing image data to a head unit orother display device;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of an automotive vision virtual top view systemwith four cameras A, B, C and D, which capture respective images I_(A)to I_(D) which have overlapping regions in each corner, with the camerashaving a fish eye lens system with an opening angle of about 180degrees, such that, for generating a virtual top view, the I_(A) toI_(D) images are already distorted, dewarped, cropped and alignedaccordingly, and shown with the upper left corner selected andhighlighted as gray triangle;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the upper left corner of the virtual topview of FIG. 7, shown, for illustration, with the vehicle disposed atthe ground with a checkerboard pattern, and with an area of interesthighlighted in light gray;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, with the highlighted region being afurther processed (blending) area of interest (4), and wherein the area(5) at the far distant end may be neglected or ignored or may havereduced processing since the image resolution has diminished too muchfor showing details at that area;

FIG. 10A is another view of the scene of FIG. 9, showing the excavatedillumination and color borderlines, generated by altering the brightnesstransfer function which produces in contrast enhancement that serve asinput patterns for the dynamic alpha mask of the present invention;

FIG. 10B shows a brightness transfer function suitable for generatingcontrast enhancement as on area (4) of the image in FIG. 9 which resultsin FIG. 10A;

FIG. 11A is another view of the scene of FIG. 10A, showing the resultingalpha mask which was composed by a static sliding gradient orthogonal tothe vehicle's edge and a dynamic component which is oriented onstructures within the images;

FIG. 11B is another view of a different alpha map mask which wascomposed by running a static sliding alpha gradient borderlined bystructures within the image, with this example having just one structurewhich ends within the stitching area, and with the alpha gradientfollowing a path (20) found by a flood fill algorithm;

FIG. 12 is an illustration of an exemplary path with an alpha gradientvalue shown in diagram (10), wherein higher levels mean a higher ratioof camera D to camera A, and lower levels mean a higher ratio of cameraA to camera D in the camera's image texture blending, with zone (7)being representative of 100 percent camera A and zone (8) beingrepresentative of 100 percent of camera D;

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of how light intensity gradientsthresholds are used as input to generate the dynamic alpha gradientcurve (in one dimension), which is combined with the static slidingtransition alpha map, with the gradients transition set up as linear,and wherein the graph at the bottom of FIG. 13 showing how the skips ofthe alpha map are dedicated to skips in the light intensity (and withthe color thresholds ignored in these diagrams);

FIG. 14 is a resulting alpha map without detected thresholds usinglinear transition;

FIG. 15 is a resulting alpha map having one detected threshold usinglinear transition;

FIG. 16 is a resulting alpha map having two detected thresholds usinglinear transition;

FIG. 17 shows an example of a natural image taken by a conventional handheld camera having a blooming effect around the bright light sourcescaused by the camera system;

FIG. 18 shows an example of a natural image of a vehicle which is inmotion, with the camera's view point in motion as well, such that thesurrounding blurs due to motion blurring, and showing lens flaringcaused by a bright light source in combination to the camera objective'slens system; and

FIGS. 19A and 19B show an example of a natural image of a vehicle whichis in motion while the camera is static, with FIG. 19A showing a notblurred object box around the moving vehicle, and FIG. 19B showing thesame scene as in FIG. 19A, having an object box around the vehicle whichis artificially motion blurred in the same extend then the movingvehicle;

FIG. 20 is an example of a fish eye view of a vehicle vision sidecamera, with parts of the vehicle's body being visible at the lateralregions of the captured image;

FIG. 21 is a block diagram of a camera calibration system, running analignment algorithm of captured camera images against a transferred fisheye view of the vehicle's shape in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 22 is an example of a virtual top view of a vehicle;

FIG. 23 is an example of a virtual top view of a vehicle's shape havingthe side camera's view mapped onto a three dimensional or 3D vehiclemodel in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 24 is view of a 3D vehicle model as like used in FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is view of mapping the camera view of FIG. 23 as it istransferred and mapped onto the 3D vehicle model of FIG. 24 inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 26 is the remaining portion or piece of the difference imagebetween the camera view of FIG. 23 when transferred and the 3D vehiclemodel view of FIG. 24 in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 27 is a typically top view image showing well aligned and pooraligned (right camera) vision system cameras stitched to one another.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A vehicle vision system and/or driver assist system and/or objectdetection system and/or alert system operates to capture images exteriorof the vehicle and may process the captured image data to display imagesand to detect objects at or near the vehicle and in the predicted pathof the vehicle, such as to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuveringthe vehicle in a rearward direction. The vision system includes aprocessor that is operable to receive image data from one or morecameras and may provide or generate a vehicle representation or imagethat is representative of the subject vehicle (such as for a top down orbird's-eye or surround view, such as discussed below), with the vehiclerepresentation being customized to at least partially correspond to theactual subject vehicle, such that the displayed vehicle image orrepresentation is at least one of the same or similar type of vehicle asthe subject vehicle and the same or similar color as the subjectvehicle.

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, a vehicle 10 includes an imaging system or vision system 12that includes multiple exterior facing imaging sensors or cameras (suchas a rearward facing imaging sensor or camera 14 a, and a forwardlyfacing camera 14 b at the front (or at the windshield) of the vehicle,and a sidewardly/rearwardly facing camera 14 c, 14 b at respective sidesof the vehicle), which capture images exterior of the vehicle, with eachof the cameras having a lens for focusing images at or onto an imagingarray or imaging plane of the camera (FIG. 1). The vision system 12includes a control or processor 18 that is operable to process imagedata captured by the cameras and may provide displayed images at adisplay device 16 for viewing by the driver of the vehicle (althoughshown in FIG. 1 as being part of or incorporated in or at an interiorrearview mirror assembly 20 of the vehicle, the control and/or thedisplay device may be disposed elsewhere at or in the vehicle).

The vision system 12 is operable to process image data captured by thecameras and may merge or stitch the images together to provide a topview or surround view or bird's-eye view image display at a displaydevice 16 for viewing by the driver of the vehicle (such as by utilizingaspects of the vision systems described in PCT Application No.PCT/US10/25545, filed Feb. 26, 2010 and published on Sep. 2, 2010 asInternational Publication No. WO 2010/099416, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US10/47256, filed Aug. 31, 2010 and published Mar. 10, 2011 asInternational Publication No. WO 2011/028686, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2011/062834, filed Dec. 1, 2011 and published Jun. 7, 2012 asInternational Publication No. WO2012/075250, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/064980, filed Nov. 14, 2012), and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/048993, filed Jul. 31, 2012), and/or PCT Application No.PCT/CA2012/000378, filed Apr. 25, 2012), and/or U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011, and/or U.S. provisionalapplication Ser. No. 61/588,833, filed Jan. 20, 2012, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties). Optionally, thecontrol or processor of the vision system may process captured imagedata to detect objects, such as objects to the rear of the subject orequipped vehicle during a reversing maneuver, or such as approaching orfollowing vehicles or vehicles at a side lane adjacent to the subject orequipped vehicle or the like.

Vehicle vision systems are typically made for displaying the vehicle'senvironment, highlighting hazards, displaying helpful information and/orenhancing the visibility. The vision systems display the images (such asvideo images) to the driver of the vehicle, with the images captured bycameras and sensors, which may comprise optical image sensors, infraredsensors, long and short range RADAR, LIDAR, Laser, ultrasound sensors,and/or the like. The display may be integrated into an interior rearviewmirror assembly disposed inside the vehicle, or an exterior rearviewmirror assembly at an exterior side portion of the vehicle, or a headsup display or other projection system that projects the visualinformation to any surface or surfaces for viewing by the driver, or adisplay unit within the instrument cluster, or a flip up display on thedashboard, or a central display or an aftermarket display which receivesdisplay data from the vehicle and/or other aftermarket sensors.

Overlays to the natural or captured image, icons or soft buttons areoften useful in such vision systems. The natural or captured images maybe enhanced by any algorithm or system. The images may be influenced bythe situation depending state (such as similar to the systems describedin U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/660,306, filed Oct. 25, 2012,which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), orthe images may be enhanced by or merged with information coming fromnon-vision sensors, such as an infrared sensor or sensors, a radarsensor or sensors, a laser sensor or sensors, a lidar sensor or sensors,or the like, or the images may be influenced by, enhanced by or mergedwith data from any other data source, such as mobile devices, such asmobile phones, infotainment devices, GPS, a car to car communicationdevice or car to infrastructure communication device or the like.

It is known to merge or stitch images captured by and coming from morethan one camera or image capturing device, eventually merging orenhancing the images responsive to non-vision sensors such as discussedabove. The resulting stitched images may then be displayed in a mannerthat the stitched or merged images form a kind of bowl or dome in thedisplayed image or projection (such as by utilizing aspects of thesystem described in Japanese publication JP2011151446A, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Typically, there isan overlay of the subject vehicle placed on top the artificiallygenerated top view. The displayed image view is as if the person viewingthe displayed image is looking at the vision system's own vehicle (thesubject or equipped vehicle) and seeing the environment in which thevehicle is located (such as from a virtual view point or virtualcamera). The virtual view is from the outside of the vehicle and lookingdownward towards and onto the vehicle, and the vehicle is typicallyshown as disposed at the bottom of the bowl or dome. This means that arepresentation of the equipped vehicle is fully or partially visible inthe displayed image. The view may be free positionable by a virtualcamera (view-point, -angle, -focus, -shutter, -blend). The virtualcamera might have a top view point, and/or may be looking at thevehicle's rooftop from an angle (and may be provided as a predeterminedvirtual viewpoint or may be selected or adjusted by the operator, suchas via a user input in the vehicle that allows the operator to adjustthe viewing angle and/or distance from the virtual camera to theequipped vehicle).

The vehicle's overlay is typically arbitrarily chosen and is not basedon sensor data, but is chosen by the given parameter set up. There maybe art to calibrate the camera's color room by the common color capturedon some of the subject vehicle's surfaces, but the vehicle in it'sentirely is not covered by any sensor so the vehicle's real appearanceis typically not detectable. Optionally, and such as described in U.S.provisional application Ser. No. 61/602,876, filed Feb. 24, 2012, whichis hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, a visionsystem may provide a manner of detecting the subject vehicle's totalheight plus baggage by using reflected images of the vehicle asreflected in a window or the like adjacent to or near the vehicle.

The displayed vehicle image (as generated by the system, and not ascaptured by the cameras) may be selected to be close to the shape of theequipped vehicle. Typically, the displayed vehicle image is an arbitraryor generic vehicle shape and is shown as a solid vehicle shape and drawnsharp without noise or softened borderlines.

Top view vision systems typically provide aligned images without blackbars on the abutting sides. These might be stitched by any commonalgorithm. Typically, such systems may have a comparably smalloverlapping zone in which both images have a degree of transparency tosmooth the stitching borderlines.

Thus, images of objects and the environment around the vehicle that arecaptured by the cameras and/or further sensing systems, and thus mightbe evident to the driver, may be hidden or partially hidden by thevisualized or displayed (own or equipped) vehicle image shown in thedisplayed images. Known vision systems are operable to display a vehiclerepresentation that typically does not match or correspond with the realappearance of the real or actual subject or equipped vehicle, andcustomers may dislike the potentially substantial differences betweenthe actual equipped vehicle and the displayed representation of thevehicle.

In nature the surfaces of objects reflect the surrounding scene,depending on the object surfaces' reflection ratio, scatteringproperties of the surfaces and illumination angle. The surroundingscene's illumination brightness and color also becomes influenced byobjects reflections. Known vehicle top view vision systems do notreflect most of these matters. For improving the visual reproduction orrepresentation of the subject vehicle within its surroundingenvironment, the present invention may utilize the methods ofGouraud-shading, (Blin-) Phong shading (use of bidirectional reflectancedistribution functions), Fast Phong shading (using texture coordinatesinstead of angle calculation), Bump mapping or Fast Bump mapping (a fastphong shading based brightness control) for generating reflections orscattering on the vehicle's surfaces, especially the windshield, chromeparts and painted metal and plastic parts. The closest to a realisticreproduction of reflections may be the (spherical) “Environment mapping”method. A sphere shape image around the reflecting object is assumed.Rays from the viewpoint reflected angle correct (angle in=angle out)onto the object's surface are tracked to a respecting originating pointon the sphere (part of the ray tracing formulas). The reflections may becalculated out of the images taken by the vehicle's cameras. There maybe a simplified model to calculate the ray tracing since the object's(vehicle's) surface is composed out of several polygons. This mayrequire calculating the ray tracing on it's edges and to interpolatetexture coordinates within the polygon. To ease the ray tracing, theundewarped original images of the fish eye cameras may be directly usedas spherical environment images assuming these are mostly spherical. Ifthe sky cannot be captured by any camera sufficiently it may be assumedaccording real reflections on the real vehicle's surface seen by anycamera. The sun's position may be calculated out of navigation systemdata or assumed according to real reflections on the real vehicle'ssurface as seen by any camera. The reflections may be generatedcorrectly according the surface's (such as, for example, the hood of thevehicle) curvature or in a simplified manner, so that the reflectiondoes not represent the real world's reflections in full extend.

The present invention may also map the movement of the correctappearance or fake tires, the correct or a fake license plate, andswitched on or switched off lights and blinkers. The light or theblinking may be done by positioning one or more glowing, partial,transparent polygons in front of the not engaged blinker or lights, orby animating the texture of the vehicle. The animation may be a part ofat least one camera's view, and may be distorted to match correctly. Thetop view animation may replace the blinker indicators in the centralclusters, and it may also indicate which headlight or blinker bulb isbroken when there is a defect, maybe by an additional icon overlay thatis deployed.

The present invention may also or otherwise use three dimensionalpolygon models for rendering the subject vehicle projected into thescene within the top view (typically into the center of the view) incombination with bump mapping. The quality of the produced image of thevehicle improves with the number of used polygons. Higher polygonnumbers (for example, at least about 10,000, more preferably at leastabout 20,000 and more preferably at least about 30,000 or the like)require increasingly more calculating capacities. Hence, the necessarynumber of used polygons shall be as minimal as acceptable. Withdecreasing numbers of polygons, increasingly less details can berealized. To make the own vehicle's image look right or correct whilehaving a low or restricted number of polygons (for example, less thanabout 10,000, more preferably less than about 8,000 or the like), thepresent invention may use “bump mapping” methods when applying the ownvehicle's surface maps onto the vehicle's polygon surfaces (such as byutilizing aspects of the systems described in U.S. provisionalapplications, Ser. No. 61/602,878, filed Feb. 24, 2012, and Ser. No.61/678,375, filed Aug. 1, 2012, which are herby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, which suggests to use ‘Parallax Occlusionmapping’ for automotive visions systems in general and especially on thesurface of imposters). By that, missing contour details can be fakedinto the image pleasing to the viewer (usable for human vision not formachine vision). Peculiarities of bump mapping is “Normal mapping” alsocalled “Dot3 bump mapping” (enhancement of the appearance of details byfaking the lighting (scattering and shading) of bumps and dentsgenerated by a normal map of a high polygon model). “Parallax mapping”or “virtual Displacement mapping” is a peculiarity of Normal mapping.Hereby the displacement of a point of a rendered polygon may be mappedaccording the viewing angle. This gives (rough) surfaces the illusion ofan apparent depth. Basic Parallax mapping does not account forocclusion. “Occlusion mapping” is a peculiarity of Parallax mapping. Byusing a displacement map, self-occlusion and fake reflections relativeto the perspective may be possible to be mapped onto a polygons mappingsurface. For the viewer it is nearly indiscriminate whether he sees aflat surface with Occlusion mapping or a real complex three dimensional(3D) surface on a two dimensional (2D) display screen.

Since the display screen may not have the contrast level and the lightintensity of possible light sources in nature, bright light reproducedon display screens typically looks quite flat. To enhance the illusionfor looking at bright light in vehicle vision systems, the system of thepresent invention may use “Bloom shading”. By a fake aperturediffraction bright light appears to exceed beyond its natural area.Natural camera's do this by nature, depending on their optical andimagers properties due to aperture diffraction and pixel cross talking(see FIG. 17). This artificial effect may preferably come into use whenan artificial light source becomes added to a vision system's scene. Anadditional artificial effect which is herein suggested to use as well is“adding of fake lens flares”, whereby the lens flaring (which can beobserved on real cameras images when pointing to the near of brightlight spots caused by the lens systems scattering and refraction (seeFIG. 18)) becomes imitated. In nature as well as in the fake effect, thedistance and intensity of the flares may change by the viewing angle tothe light source (which may be added artificial or is a real scene lightsource). Artificial flares may consist of colored round shapes havingincreasingly higher transparency in the center than at the outerportions or outlines. There may be star shape glares coming from thecenter of such artificial flares.

An additional artificial effect which is suggested herein to use in thevehicle vision system is “artificial Motion blurring”. This effect canbe observed on real camera's movies when fast objects pass a scene (seeFIGS. 19A and 19B) or a camera's viewing angle is changing fast relativeto the scene or the scene flow is fast (see FIG. 18). In vehicle visionsystems, for example, box-like overlays which may be placed by an objecttracking system around tracked objects may become (motion-) blurredartificially into the opposite direction an object is moving towards.Comparing FIGS. 19A and 19B, FIG. 19A shows a not blurred object boxaround a moving object which is motion blurred by nature, while FIG. 19Bshows a moving object having a object box around it which isartificially motion blurred in the same extend as the moving object. Bythat the object box appears less artificial but more as a part of thereal scene. When an object is moving but is static within the camera'sview it leads to blurring of the surrounding scene, but the object isnot blurred (see FIG. 18).

The top view image may come with a certain noise level depending on thehardware's quality and/or algorithm's quality. The displayed vehicle ontop is a rendered overlay with a low noise level. Due to the differentnoise levels the overlay appears quite artificially. This is typicallydone to ease the viewing. The stitching of abutting images within a topview display is often not optimally resolved. If done well, the usercannot readily discern where the stitching/overlapping area begins andends. The transient from one image to the other becomes mostly invisibleor not readily discernible.

The present invention provides a solution to make objects and areasaround the vehicle captured by the cameras and/or further sensingsystems visible within the display, although the displayed vehicle imagemay be in the line of sight from the virtual view point to theobjects/areas.

The present invention may provide such a solution by displaying thedisplayed subject vehicle image as a fully or partially transparentvehicle image or vehicle representation. The transparency may be adependency of the distance, and/or the angle aberration from the centerviewing direction of the virtual camera or viewpoint (such as can beseen with reference to FIGS. 2-5). For example, the value or degree oftransparency (T) may equate in dependency to the distance (d) andaberration angle (α) from the center viewing direction in accordancewith the equation:T(d,α)=T*½*((1−1/d*k ₁)+(1−α*k ₂));where k₁ is a scaling factor (parameter) for the distance in [1/mm], andk₂ is a scaling factor (parameter) for the aberration angle.

Optionally, the transparency may be a dependency of whether the virtualcamera is within the (own) vehicle's body or outside of the subject orequipped vehicle. Optionally, the transparency may be a combination ofdependency of the equation above and the location of the virtual camera.Optionally, the transparency may be dependent or at least may beinfluenced by the level of backlight and/or a combination of one or moreof the other factors above. Optionally, the transparency may bedependent on a location of a detected object at or near the vehiclewhereby the displayed images may not show the detected object when aportion of the three dimensional vehicle representation may block orobscure the object when the vehicle would be at least partially betweenthe object and the virtual camera, as discussed below.

Optionally, the vision system may display the subject vehicle image as avector model shape without solid surfaces. The vector model shape may beshown or displayed dependent on whether the virtual camera is within the(own) vehicle's body or outside of the subject or equipped vehicle. Theoptions for the criteria that determine the degree of transparency ofthe displayed image may be selectable by the driver within a vehicle'sOBD (on-board diagnostics), or via remote device or vehicle manufacturerservice tool or vehicle repair or service shop (manufacturer or aftermarket) service tool.

The vision system of the present invention is also or otherwise operableto match the appearance of the vision system's shown or displayed (own)vehicle to that of the appearance of the real or actual subject orequipped vehicle as close as possible, or to customize the displayedvehicle's appearance.

The display or customization may be adjusted individually by the visionsystem actively making the adjustment/customization. For example, thevision system's processor or cameras or other sensors may identify thecolor of the equipped vehicle (such as by processing of captured imagesof portions of the equipped vehicle as captured by its cameras or othersensors), and further on may match or substantially match or coordinatethe visualized or displayed vehicle's color accordingly. Optionally, thevision system's cameras or other sensors and algorithm may identify the“real” vehicle's surface appearance by the images taken from the vehicledirect and further on may “map” the identified surface to the image ofthe vehicle displayed or shown on the display screen by the visionsystem. Optionally, the vision systems cameras or other sensors andalgorithm may analyze, stitch, dewarp, and the like the captured imagesto identify the “real” vehicle's surface appearance by the vehicle'sappearance seen in reflecting surfaces distant to the vehicle, andfurther may “map” the identified surface to the image of the vehicledisplayed or shown on the display screen by the vision system.

Optionally, the display or customization may be adjusted individuallyand may be a passive adjustment/customization in accordance with givenparameters. For example, the parameters may be first time transmitted orupdated at the line or end of line of the vision system manufacturer orof the vehicle manufacturer. Optionally, the parameters may be firsttime transmitted or updated by a supporting system embodied to thevehicle, such as via any kind of data channel, such as via a one timeinitial system power up or all time on power up of the system.Optionally, the parameters may be first time transmitted or updated by asupporting system not permanently installed to the vehicle, such as aremote/mobile device or system or device or tool at a vehicle shop (suchas at a manufacturer facility or after market device or facility) orsuch as a driver input via the vehicle's OBD.

Optionally, the display or customization of the vehicle representationor vehicle image may be adjusted individually or freely by mapping oneor more images of the vehicle (such as the subject or equipped vehicle)that is to be shown in the display of the vision system. Such images orvehicle representations may be uploaded by the system manufacturer orthe vehicle manufacturer, or by the customer or active software (thatmay be developed for this operation/function). For example, the mappedimages may be digital photographs of the actual equipped vehicle, or maybe previously captured images or generated images selected to correspondto the actual vehicle car line and/or body style and/or trim optionsand/or color. The mapped images may comprise one or more images capturedor generated to represent the equipped vehicle from one or more viewpoints that may correspond with the virtual camera viewpoint in thedisplayed images. For example, at the vehicle assembly plant, when thevision system is installed in the vehicle (or earlier at the visionsystem manufacturing facility if the vision system is made for aparticular car line or the like), the system may be set to correspond tothe actual vehicle in which it is installed. Thus, an operator at thevehicle assembly plant may enter “Buick Enclave Silver” or othermanufacturer name/code, vehicle line/code and color/code and/or the like(or the vision system may be automatically set according to the manifestor bar code for the vehicle in which the system is being installed), andimages or representations of a silver Buick Enclave may be downloadedinto the vision system or control for use as the displayed vehicleimages when the vision system operates to display images for viewing bythe driver of the equipped silver Buick Enclave.

Optionally, the mapping interior of the vehicle may be set by parametersor may be uploaded by the vision system manufacturer, the OEM, thevehicle buyer (owner) or contracted as a third party service. For thismapping, advance (bump-) mapping methods for faking structure of thetypes mentioned above (Normal mapping, Occlusion mapping or Parallaxmapping) may come into use as well. The vehicle interior's structure maybe rendered by a low number of polygons with a bump map mapped onto it,instead of having a high number of polygons. A low level variant may beto just map the interior onto the window surfaces. This maysubstantially reduce the numbers of required polygons for the innerstructure. It is known to map the driver's face into the interiorsscene. It is unknown in automotive vision systems to integrate thedriver's face into a bump map. The driver's face bump map may becomeproduced offline out of two or more images from different viewingangles. The driver's mapping may be placed on top of a neutral body madeby a low number of polygons.

Optionally, the interior's scene may be not static but calculated inreal time to render the interiors polygons and its mapping. The input ofthe interior's scene including the instrumentation may be composed(stitched) out of the images from one or more interior cameras (and maybe out door cameras looking inside in parts) which may be in front ofthe passengers. The area which does not become captured by any cameramay be a static non real time image which may become partially blended(merged) into the real time image to fill missing parts.

Optionally, the displayed images may comprise a combination of theadjustment and/or customization of the displayed equipped vehicle imageor representation and the partial or full transparency of the displayedequipped vehicle image or representation to further enhance the displayof the equipped vehicle and environment surrounding the equipped vehiclefor viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle, such as during areversing maneuver or parking maneuver or the like.

To cope with the overlays which are placed over vision systems images,especially the own or subject vehicle's top view overlay orrepresentation, which appear artificial due to mismatching noise levels,it is heretofore unknown in automotive vision to raise the noise levelof the overlays artificially. Overlays which are there for highlightingimportant facts to the driver, such as control buttons or inputs or thedistance to a solid obstacle at the projected rearward path of travel ofthe vehicle when the vehicle is backing up, may appear as clearly aspossible to become highlighted so such an overlay should not becomeacknowledged or discerned as a part of the scenery. Thus, such overlaysmay be superimposed in a low noise level.

However, for different overlays which are for providing an understandingof the general scenery the driver is looking at, there is not a concernthat they be seen as clearly. Thus, it may help the driver's viewing andunderstanding of the displayed images to superimpose the top view of thevehicle when providing four stitched camera images as a top view, and,to ease the viewing, the vehicle may appear as embedded to the scenery.Thus, the noise level should become adapted to the noise level of theimages. Naturally, the noise level of the camera images are higher thanthat of the overlay or overlays, so to adapt or match the noise levels,the noise level of the overlay or overlays has to be increased (orotherwise adapted or adjusted). In some systems, the images of the four(or more) cameras may come with different noise levels for some or eachof the cameras, and thus the overlay may be adapted to an average noiselevel or to a noise level at about the lowest or the highest noise levelvalue of the captured images. The noise level may be set by parameters,since the cameras and system's features do not change much over lifetime, or the noise level may be determined by a suited algorithm duringa run time of the system or during an initial phase of the system.

When the noise level is selected, the noise to the overlay may be addedby (i) use of a scrim diffuser, soft focus or blur effectfilter/generator, (ii) use of a salt and pepper noise filter/generator,(iii) use of image analogies filters which may transfer image analogiesfrom one ore more camera images and project the analogy to the overlayor overlays, (iv) generation of overlays with semi transparentborderlines, having increasing transparency with diminishing distance tothe borderline over the full overlay or partially, (v) use of one ormore (offline or initially calculated) stored overlay or overlays whichhave already diffuse borderlines (and optionally with a look up tablefor different levels of noise to become achieved), or (vi) by reducingthe acutance, if present.

To optimize the appearance of the stitching/overlapping area of abuttingimages within a top view display, the method “Texture Splatting” or“Texture Blending” may be used. Hereby also called alphamap comes intouse for controlling the transparency ratio of the overlapping areas.Such alphamapping is known and, because the underlying principle is foreach texture to have its own alpha channel, large amounts of memory maybe consumed by such a process. As a solution to this potential concern,multiple alpha maps may be combined into one texture, such as by using ared channel for one map, a blue channel for another map, and so on. Thiseffectively uses a single texture to supply alpha maps for four (or moreor less) real-color textures. The alpha textures can also use a lowerresolution than the color textures, and often the color textures can betiled. This might also find use for top view image blending.

It may be suggested that the alpha map (generally) possess a slidinggradient from 100 percent to zero (0) percent for one camera's capturedimage and zero percent to 100 percent for the other camera's capturedimage (see FIG. 12). With a four camera system, the blending zones aretypically at the four edges of the virtual top view (an upper leftcorner region, an upper right corner region, a lower left corner regionand a lower right corner region, such as shown in FIG. 7) and the alphamap gradients vector may be mostly orthogonal to the vehicle's edge,eventually slightly bent to the vehicle's center.

It may be suggested that the blending zone has a V-shape with the openside pointing into the top view's corner. The borderlines may becomprised by the V blades (see FIG. 8).

With reference to FIGS. 7-12, reference (1) refers to a vehicle orvehicle body, reference (2) is the blending region's borderlines equatesto alpha map expansion, reference (3) is a strong Illumination and colorthreshold, reference (4) is a blending region with structures ofinterest, reference (5) is a neglected or ignored region, reference (6)is an area of local alpha map gradient (“local transition”), reference(7) is a region of 100 percent intensity of camera A, reference (8) is aregion of 100 percent intensity of camera D, reference (9) is an alphamap gradient example path, reference (10) is a diagram of an alpha mapgradient intensity along an example path, reference (11) is an alpha mapgradient intensity curve along an example path, reference (12) is astatic base gradient curve over the blending area, reference (13) is analpha_intensity of camera D, and reference (14) is a (1-)alpha_intensity of camera A.

It may be also or otherwise be suggested that the alphamap is notstatic, but influenced by the image's structure. The blending area maybe formed such as discussed above and there may still be a staticsliding gradient such as discussed above from one borderline to theother, but this gradient may be combined with a dynamic part. Thedynamic component may orient on strong illuminance and/or colorthresholds (this may be done in a manner similar to that described inZitnick, Lawrence, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and MachineIntelligence, Vol. 34, No. 4, April 2012, which is hereby incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety, but not for finding the correctimage overlap alignment, but rather for finding the input of an alphamap filter). At these thresholds, the alpha map gradient may beincreased during the gradient over the areas without thresholds or maybe decreased.

The system of the present invention may also use a “flood fill’algorithm to deploy (find) smooth alpha maps through areas which areborderlined by structures within the image which are ending within theoverlapping area of two cameras. A typical path found by flood fillwould look as like path 20 shown in FIG. 11B. In here the general “fill”direction is from camera A, reference (8) to camera B, reference (9).Structures in the image depict hereby invisible boundaries along thefill that are filling up until overtopping on the structure's end. Theolder fill increments reflect darker mapping regions (more blendingpercentage of camera A), and younger ones lighter regions (more blendingpercentage of camera B). Illustratively speaking, the result looks likeas filling in a jam like paint at one far edge of the alpha map ofcamera A, reference (8). The thickness of the paint after some timerepresents the percentage of the lending of camera A to B.

The source image for determining the illuminance and/or color thresholdmay be the image of just one camera or may be generated by a 50%/50%superposition of two or both cameras, with a consecutive (Gausian)blurring, artificial diffusion or resolution reduction for uniting areaswhich are originating in the same structure but are not fully matchingdue to imperfect distortion correction or reconstruction (de-fisheye andview point elevation), color and white balancing and resolutiondifferences.

Optionally, the gradients transition of the whole area and/or the localtransitions may be set up as generally linear such as illustrated inFIGS. 13-16, or logarithmic such as illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, orin any other suitable mathematically consistent manner.

Optionally, for data reduction and/or calculation effort reduction, aquantification (inconsistent manner) may find use for a certain extendin which these measures do not significantly worsen the subjective orobjective appearance.

Optionally, and in addition to the above or as alternative solution, thealpha map may be generated by the use of half toning/dither pattern orerror diffusion pattern algorithm or the like. Such patterns may havesliding parameters along their extension. Optionally, an embodiment maybe that the areas with the most distortion reconstruction, typically thefarthest edges of fisheye lens images, become influenced (filtered) themost. This is different from just weighing bending such as is known andsuch as described in EP publication No. EP000002081149A1, which ishereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Therefore, the present invention provides a vision system for a vehiclethat includes a processor or head unit and a camera or cameras mountedat the vehicle. The processor or head unit is operable to merge capturedimages to provide a surround view or virtual view of the area at leastpartially at or surrounding the equipped vehicle, and may select oradjust or customize a generated vehicle representation and/or thedisplayed image so that the displayed image of a vehicle representationthat is representative of the equipped vehicle is actually similar (suchas in body type or style and/or car line and/or color) to the actualvehicle equipped with the vision system and display screen. Optionally,the displayed vehicle representation may be adjusted to be more or lesstransparent to enhance viewing of objects detected at or near thevehicle (such that, for example, the displayed vehicle representationmay be more transparent or substantially transparent when an object isdetected that may be blocked or partially blocked or hidden by thedisplayed vehicle representation, such as when the virtual camera angleand/or distance is such that the detected object is at least partially“behind” the displayed vehicle representation and/or when a detectedobject is very close to the equipped vehicle or partially at or possiblypartially under the equipped vehicle), so as to enhance viewability ofthe images of the detected object by the driver of the vehicle. Thenoise level of the overlays may be adapted or increased to generallymatch the noise level in the captured images to provide enhanced displayqualities and seamless display images.

Optionally, a vehicle vision system and/or driver assist system and/orobject detection system and/or alert system of the present invention mayoperate to capture images exterior of the vehicle and may process thecaptured image data to display images and to detect objects at or nearthe vehicle and in the predicted path of the vehicle, such as to assista driver of the vehicle in maneuvering the vehicle in a rearwarddirection. The vision system includes a processor that is operable toreceive image data from one or more cameras and may provide a displayedimage that is representative of the subject vehicle (such as for a topdown or bird's-eye or surround view, such as discussed below), with thedisplayed image being customized to at least partially correspond to theactual subject vehicle, such that the displayed vehicle is at least oneof the same or similar type of vehicle as the subject vehicle and thesame or similar color as the subject vehicle.

Optionally, the method or system or process of the present invention isoperable to process image data and calibrate the cameras so the imagesare accurately or optimally merged together to provide the top down orsurround view display, as discussed below.

Vehicle vision systems may include more than one camera or image capturedevice. Often, there are cameras at the front, rear and both sides ofthe vehicle, mostly integrated into the vehicle's structure, and mountedin a fixed position. Vision systems are made for displaying thevehicle's environment, highlighting hazards, displaying helpfulinformation and/or enhancing the visibility to the driver of thevehicle.

It is known to merge or stitch images captured by and coming from morethan one camera or image capturing device, in order to provide a 360degree surround view. The cameras typically use a wide focal width,commonly referred to as a fish eye lens or optic, for providing a wideangle field of view, typically about 180 degrees to about 220 degreesfor each camera (such as for a four camera vision system). Typicallythere are overlapping regions in the fields of view of the cameras. Byproviding such a wide angle field of view, the field of view of thecameras typically not only include the environment around the vehicle,but partially includes the vehicle's body as well, such as at thelateral regions of the captured images of each camera.

The composed wide angle or wide view image is displayed in a manner thatthe images form a kind of bowl or dome. The view is as like as lookingat the vision system's own vehicle from the outside, seeing theenvironment that the vehicle is located in. The vehicle is typicallysitting at the bottom of the bowl or dome (such as shown, for example,in FIG. 20). The shown vehicle within this image may be generated byrendering a more or less naturalistic appearing vehicle more or lessclose to it's real shape and proportions (and/or may be displayedutilizing aspects of the vision systems described above.

For stitching and composing the right proportions of the above mentionedcaptured images from each camera to a single 360 degree view properly,it is always a task that each camera is aligned properly or within athreshold degree of alignment. There are five degrees of freedom acamera can be misaligned: height, width, depth, tilt and rotation.Another one is the focal length, but this one is usually fixed duringmanufacture of the camera or camera module and has a low variance. FIG.27 shows an exemplary top view image generated by stitching imagescaptured by front, rear, left and right cameras. Due to poorcalibration, the right camera's misalignment becomes visible at thestitching lines due to breaks within straight structures crossing theviews' stitching borderlines. Also, other image deformation mightappear. Most are unwanted, coming from camera failures. Some camerasinclude specific lenses or multi lens systems used to contort the imagein a desired manner. These lenses or optics may also include a varianceof manufacturing which may be captured in the camera's image. In suchsystems, the fish eye view may be distorted into an asymmetric fish eyeview or image.

It is a known method to correct camera misalignments by rotating and/orshifting the captured camera image during the image processing.Typically, this may be done by capturing a target, which has knowndimensions during a calibration procedure (and such as by utilizingaspects of the vision systems described in PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/064980, filed Nov. 14, 2012), which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety). There may also be methods to cureor correct unwanted lens distortions during such a procedure using atarget. Also, more than one misaligned camera can be calibrated with atarget or targets.

Other calibration methods are targetless. These try to eliminate themisalignment over time by capturing a the natural environment, oftenduring driving of the vehicle, using optical physics, such as thevanishing point or round shape items, and/or the like.

Calibrating cameras in a vehicle repair shop or otherwise having theneed of using a target is inconvenient. It may also be error prone sinceit is hard for the repair shop's staff to set up the target correctlyand/or to judge whether a calibration was successful. Also, such targetsare inconvenient to handle and to store. Thus, it may be desired toprovide a targetless calibration system for (re-)calibrating vehiclevision system cameras.

Using targetless vehicle vision system camera calibration methods, whichhave the need for moving the vehicle to calibrate may not be fullysatisfying. It takes time and is not always successful, depending on theenvironment and lighting and/or weather conditions. Thus, the presentinvention provides a target less calibrating method without the need fordoing a calibration drive or at least to limit such a calibration drive.

The vehicle's own shape and proportions are known from the OEM'sconstruction model (CAD). Typically, this is a file of data. These or anextract of it, or data close to it can be used for generating(rendering) a virtual vehicle model as like it would be visible in avision system (such as by utilizing aspects of the vehicle visionsystems described above). Such a vehicle model may also come from ascanned vehicle (surface), such as by capturing the reflections of thevehicle in one or multiple (non vehicle) mirrors or reflective surfaces,such as window surfaces of a building or the like, and preferably, thevehicle may turn or move until all of the vehicle side and front andrear surfaces are captured. Optionally, such a vehicle model may begenerated by using a scanner device, such as a laser scanner or thelike.

The vehicle's model data may become overwritten entirely or in partsover a run time, by captured image data when the camera(s) is/are notrunning in calibration mode, but was/were calibrated before. Thecorrected vehicle model may find use in the next calibration event andfurther on consecutively.

The vehicle's own shape and proportions from above become transformedinto a single camera's fisheye view, in order to be calibrated,according the camera's and/or transformation matrix parameters. Thetransformation may take place in one step while capturing the vehicle'sproportion and shape in the method above. The vehicle's model might bestored in natural view or may be stored in the transformed view. Thevehicle's model may be provided by a vehicle device, such as, forexample, the vision processing or head- or display unit, and/or acommunication device that collects the according data from a remotesource, such as a supplier's or OEM's server or the like.

Additionally or alternatively, the system may transfer the singlecamera's wide angle or fisheye view into one vehicle top view as seenfrom an virtual view point mapping the proportion and shape onto theaccording positions of the vehicle's 3D model in order to calibrate thecameras' view mapping positions, according the camera's and/ortransformation matrix parameters. FIGS. 22-26 show an example in whichone camera's alignment may be compared to the 3D vehicle reference.

The camera becomes calibrated by running an alignment algorithm of thebody shapes captured, real view against the expected view out of thevehicle's model transformed as described above. The resultingmisalignment is reflected, and thus subtracted or compensated for whenstitching all of the cameras' images and composing the right proportionsin the virtual 360 degree vision system view.

An approximation algorithm also comes into use. The approximationalgorithm is a Newton's method. The alignment is done by a minimumquest. Not the whole vehicle body image, but filtered data of it, comesinto use for the alignment algorithm. For example, the main borderlinesand/or edges of the vehicle body come into use. The algorithm may useany suitable number of significant points to align, such as, forexample, nine or more significant points to align.

The calibration algorithm may include several stages. For example, thecalibration algorithm may find a first side-minimum initially. Thecamera's image for the alignment algorithm above may become composed outof several superpositioned images, and the superpositioned images may betaken over a specific time, and/or the superpositioned images may betaken in infinite time (such as a running average or the like).

The main minimum may be found in a consecutive stage when using thesuperposed image which was already composed at that time. The imagesuperposition minimum search algorithm of the second stage may run in alow priority, when processing time is available. The calibrationalgorithm may have a routine to decide whether the found minimum is themain minimum.

Optionally, it is envisioned that non-vehicle embodied cameras may becalibrated by the calibration method of the present invention. Forexample, the cameras to be calibrated may comprise after market cameras,mobile or entertainment device cameras, and the like, OEM-cameras addedto the vehicle by the owner (after vehicle manufacture or end-of-line(EOL)).

Optionally, cameras mounted on a trailer may become incorporated intothe vision system's 360 degree view and may also be calibrated by thecalibration method of the present invention. The trailers dimensions andbending attributes become reflected. The trailer's attributes may beuploaded by the owner, or by a communication device or the like, or maybe from the trailer manufacturer's, OEM's or vision system supplier'sdatabase or the like. The trailer's attributes may be measured in alearning mode by the vision system by circling or driving the vehiclearound the de-coupled trailer. A top view on to the trailer and its reararea or region may be generated by the vision system. A specific trailersteering aid system/algorithm might come into use having rear top viewand according overlays.

Therefore, the present invention provides a vision system for a vehiclethat includes a processor or head unit and a camera or cameras mountedat the vehicle. The processor or head unit may be operable to mergecaptured images to provide a surround view or virtual view of the areaat least partially at or surrounding the equipped vehicle. The presentinvention provides a calibration system for the vehicle vision systemthat calibrates the vehicle cameras without targets and/or specificcalibration drives. The calibration system utilizes real vehicle imagesor data (such as image data representative of where a portion orportions of the equipped vehicle should be in the captured images for aproperly calibrated camera) and determines a variation in capturedimages of the portion or portions of the equipped vehicle as compared toa database or data file of the vehicle, in order to determine amisalignment of the camera or cameras. The comparison and determinationmay be done while the vehicle is parked and/or being driven.

Conventional surround view/bird's-eye systems typically present for viewby the driver of the vehicle a two dimensional view of what a virtualobserver may see from a vantage point some distance above the vehicleand viewing downward, such as by utilizing aspects of the displaysystems described in PCT Application No. PCT/US10/25545, filed Feb. 26,2010 and published on Sep. 2, 2010 as International Publication No. WO2010/099416, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US10/47256, filed Aug. 31,2010 and published Mar. 10, 2011 as International Publication No. WO2011/028686, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2011/062834, filed Dec. 1,2011 and published Jun. 7, 2012 as International Publication No.WO2012/075250, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/064980, filed Nov.14, 2012), and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/048993, filed Jul. 31,2012), and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US11/62755, filed Dec. 1, 2011 andpublished Jun. 7, 2012 as International Publication No. WO 2012-075250,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/CA2012/000378, filed Apr. 25, 2012),and/or U.S. Pat. No. 7,161,616, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties. In this regard, the region that thevehicle occupies is also shown two dimensionally, typically as aschematic representation in two dimensions as a footprint of a vehiclerepresentation.

In accordance with the present invention, the central or footprintregion of the displayed image that the vehicle occupies and around whichthe real time video images are displayed, is shown by a threedimensional representation or rendering of the subject vehicle (with thethree dimensional representation having an upper or top surface and oneor more side surfaces of the vehicle represented in the displayedimage). Thus, to take an example for illustration, an owner of a MY 2012black colored BMW 3-series vehicle would see on the video screen, theactual subject vehicle type (where the vehicle representation generatedby the system would look like a three dimensional model of, for example,a MY 2012 black colored BMW 3-series vehicle or the like). Optionally,the system may generate and the viewer may see an avatar or virtualimage that, preferably, closely resembles the subject vehicle.

In accordance with the present invention, the driver or occupant of thesubject vehicle may effectively maneuver or pan the viewing aspect orangle or virtual vantage point to any desired side view or viewing angleof a representation of the subject vehicle in full three dimensions(showing the top and front, rear and/or sides of the vehiclerepresentation depending on the virtual viewing location or vantagepoint). When looking, for example, from a bird's-eye view and at anangle, a portion of the representation of the subject vehicle (forexample, the forward left region of the vehicle representation whenviewed from a virtual vantage point rearward and towards the right sideof the vehicle relative to a central point above the vehicle) may shadowor obscure an object (such as a child or other object of interest)standing or present on the road and close to that particular part of thevehicle. Thus, when viewing displayed images representative of thatparticular viewing angle, the solid presence of that particular portionof the vehicle representation would hide or obscure the presence of thatobject or child.

However, in accordance with the present invention, that particularregion of the vehicle representation at which the child or object ispresent but not viewable by the driver can be rendered transparent orcan be removed or partially or substantially removed or hidden, so thatthe object or child so present that is being imaged by a camera of thevehicle, and that is otherwise shadowed/obscured by the solid portion ofthe vehicle representation due to the particular viewing angle of thevirtual camera, is viewable by the driver or occupant of the vehiclethat is viewing the display screen. Preferably, the portion of thevehicle representation at or adjacent the detected object or child orcritical to allowing the driver to view the presence of the object orchild is all that is rendered transparent or removed, while the rest ofthe vehicle representation is solid or “normal”, so as to enable thedriver to appropriately appreciate and gauge the relationship of theoverall vehicle to the rest of the exterior scene that is being imagedby the multi-camera system.

The renderence of local transparency/vehicle body removal of the vehiclerepresentation may be via user selection, where the driver may, using acursor or other input device, select a particular portion of thedisplayed vehicle representation to be rendered transparent based on thedriver's particular concern to ensure that there is nothing beingshadowed or obscured by that portion of the vehicle representationitself. Alternatively and preferably, machine vision object detectiontechniques (such as by utilizing an EyeQ image processor or the likeand/or external radar sensors or the like, such as by utilizing aspectsof the vision systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,937,667; 8,013,780;7,914,187; 7,038,577 and/or 7,720,580, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties) may automatically detect thepresence or possible presence of an object or person or hazardouscondition and may automatically render the appropriate portion of thevehicle representation transparent, with the portion that is renderedtransparent being determined based on the location of the detectedobject relative to the vehicle and based on the location of the virtualviewpoint or vantage point of the virtual camera.

The camera or sensor may comprise any suitable camera or sensor.Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smart camera” that includes theimaging sensor array and associated circuitry and image processingcircuitry and electrical connectors and the like as part of a cameramodule, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described inPCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov. 27, 2012), and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2012/066570, filed Nov. 27, 2012), which arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The vehicle may include any type of sensor or sensors, such as imagingsensors or radar sensors or lidar sensors or ultrasonic sensors or thelike. The imaging sensor or camera may capture image data for imageprocessing and may comprise any suitable camera or sensing device, suchas, for example, an array of a plurality of photosensor elementsarranged in at least 640 columns and at least 480 rows (at least a640×480 imaging array), with a respective lens focusing images ontorespective portions of the array. The photosensor array may comprise aplurality of photosensor elements arranged in a photosensor array havingrows and columns. The logic and control circuit of the imaging sensormay function in any known manner, such as in the manner described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935; 5,796,094;and/or 6,396,397, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No.61/727,912, filed Nov. 19, 2012; Ser. No. 61/718,382, filed Oct. 25,2012; Ser. No. 61/699,498, filed Sep. 11, 2012; Ser. No. 61/696,416,filed Sep. 4, 2012; Ser. No. 61/682,995, filed Aug. 14, 2012; Ser. No.61/682,486, filed Aug. 13, 2012; Ser. No. 61/680,883, filed Aug. 8,2012; Ser. No. 61/678,375, filed Aug. 1, 2012; Ser. No. 61/676,405,filed Jul. 27, 2012; Ser. No. 61/666,146, filed Jun. 29, 2012; Ser. No.61/653,665, filed May 31, 2012; Ser. No. 61/653,664, filed May 31, 2012;Ser. No. 61/648,744, filed May 18, 2012; Ser. No. 61/624,507, filed Apr.16, 2012; Ser. No. 61/616,126, filed Mar. 27, 2012; Ser. No. 61/613,651,filed Mar. 21, 2012; Ser. No. 61/607,229, filed Mar. 6, 2012; Ser. No.61/605,409, filed Mar. 1, 2012; Ser. No. 61/602,878, filed Feb. 24,2012; Ser. No. 61/602,876, filed Feb. 24, 2012; Ser. No. 61/600,205,filed Feb. 17, 2012; Ser. No. 61/588,833, filed Jan. 20, 2012; Ser. No.61/583,381, filed Jan. 5, 2012, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov. 27, 2012), and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/066570, filed Nov. 27, 2012), and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/064980, filed Nov. 14, 2012), and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/062906, filed Nov. 1, 2012), and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/063520, filed Nov. 5, 2012), and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/057007, filed Sep. 25, 2012), and/or PCT Application No.PCT/CA2012/000378, filed Apr. 25, 2012), and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/056014, filed Sep. 19, 2012), and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/048800, filed Jul. 30, 2012), and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/048110, filed Jul. 25, 2012), and/or U.S. patentapplications, Ser. No. 13/660,306, filed Oct. 25, 2012, and/or Ser. No.13/534,657, filed Jun. 27, 2012, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. The system may communicate withother communication systems via any suitable means, such as by utilizingaspects of the systems described in PCT Application No. PCT/US10/038477,filed Jun. 14, 2010, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/202,005,filed Aug. 17, 2011, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No.61/650,667, filed May 23, 2012, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

The imaging device and control and image processor and any associatedillumination source, if applicable, may comprise any suitablecomponents, and may utilize aspects of the cameras and vision systemsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935;5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,937,667;7,123,168; 7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176;6,313,454; and 6,824,281, and/or International Publication No. WO2010/099416, published Sep. 2, 2010, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US10/47256, filed Aug. 31, 2010 and published Mar. 10, 2011 asInternational Publication No. WO 2011/028686, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/508,840, filed Jul. 24, 2009, and published Jan.28, 2010 as U.S. Pat. Publication No. US 2010-0020170; and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2012/048110, filed Jul. 25, 2012), and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/534,657, filed Jun. 27, 2012, which areall hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Thecamera or cameras may comprise any suitable cameras or imaging sensorsor camera modules, and may utilize aspects of the cameras or sensorsdescribed in U.S. patent applications, Ser. No. 12/091,359, filed Apr.24, 2008 and published Oct. 1, 2009 as U.S. Publication No.US-2009-0244361; and/or Ser. No. 13/260,400, filed Sep. 26, 2011, and/orU.S. Pat. Nos. 7,965,336 and/or 7,480,149, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. The imaging array sensor maycomprise any suitable sensor, and may utilize various imaging sensors orimaging array sensors or cameras or the like, such as a CMOS imagingarray sensor, a CCD sensor or other sensors or the like, such as thetypes described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962;5,715,093; 5,877,897; 6,922,292; 6,757,109; 6,717,610; 6,590,719;6,201,642; 6,498,620; 5,796,094; 6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435;6,831,261; 6,806,452; 6,396,397; 6,822,563; 6,946,978; 7,339,149;7,038,577; 7,004,606; 7,720,580; and/or 7,965,336, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2008/076022, filed Sep. 11, 2008 and publishedMar. 19, 2009 as International Publication No. WO/2009/036176, and/orPCT Application No. PCT/US2008/078700, filed Oct. 3, 2008 and publishedApr. 9, 2009 as International Publication No. WO/2009/046268, which areall hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The camera module and circuit chip or board and imaging sensor may beimplemented and operated in connection with various vehicularvision-based systems, and/or may be operable utilizing the principles ofsuch other vehicular systems, such as a vehicle headlamp control system,such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023;6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 7,004,606; 7,339,149; and/or 7,526,103,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a rain sensor, such as the types disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392; 6,313,454; 6,320,176; and/or7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a vehicle vision system, such as a forwardly, sidewardly orrearwardly directed vehicle vision system utilizing principles disclosedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,949,331;6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202;6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452;6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978; and/or 7,859,565, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a trailer hitchingaid or tow check system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.7,005,974, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety, a reverse or sideward imaging system, such as for a lanechange assistance system or lane departure warning system or for a blindspot or object detection system, such as imaging or detection systems ofthe types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577;5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser.No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser. No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30,2004; Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14, 2004; Ser. No. 60/638,687,filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties, a video device for internal cabin surveillanceand/or video telephone function, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,760,962; 5,877,897; 6,690,268; and/or 7,370,983, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 and published Mar.9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a traffic signrecognition system, a system for determining a distance to a leading ortrailing vehicle or object, such as a system utilizing the principlesdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,396,397 and/or 7,123,168, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, and/or the like.

Optionally, the circuit board or chip may include circuitry for theimaging array sensor and or other electronic accessories or features,such as by utilizing compass-on-a-chip or EC driver-on-a-chip technologyand aspects such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451 and/or U.S.Pat. No. 7,480,149; and/or U.S. patent applications, Ser. No.11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S.Publication No. US-2006-0061008, and/or Ser. No. 12/578,732, filed Oct.14, 2009, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

Optionally, the vision system may include a display for displayingimages captured by one or more of the imaging sensors for viewing by thedriver of the vehicle while the driver is normally operating thevehicle. Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a videodisplay device disposed at or in the interior rearview mirror assemblyof the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the video mirror displaysystems described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,268 and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The video mirrordisplay may comprise any suitable devices and systems and optionally mayutilize aspects of the compass display systems described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 7,370,983; 7,329,013; 7,308,341; 7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593;4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305; 5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851;5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727; 5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508;6,222,460; 6,513,252; and/or 6,642,851, and/or European patentapplication, published Oct. 11, 2000 under Publication No. EP 0 1043566,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0061008,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. Optionally, the video mirror display screen or device may beoperable to display images captured by a rearward viewing camera of thevehicle during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle (such as responsiveto the vehicle gear actuator being placed in a reverse gear position orthe like) to assist the driver in backing up the vehicle, and optionallymay be operable to display the compass heading or directional headingcharacter or icon when the vehicle is not undertaking a reversingmaneuver, such as when the vehicle is being driven in a forwarddirection along a road (such as by utilizing aspects of the displaysystem described in PCT Application No. PCT/US2011/056295, filed Oct.14, 2011 and published Apr. 19, 2012 as International Publication No. WO2012/051500, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety).

Optionally, the vision system (utilizing the forward facing camera and arearward facing camera and/or other cameras disposed at the vehicle withexterior fields of view) may be part of or may provide a display of atop-down view or birds-eye view system of the vehicle or a surround viewat the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systemsdescribed in PCT Application No. PCT/US10/25545, filed Feb. 26, 2010 andpublished on Sep. 2, 2010 as International Publication No. WO2010/099416, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US10/47256, filed Aug. 31,2010 and published Mar. 10, 2011 as International Publication No. WO2011/028686, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2011/062834, filed Dec. 1,2011 and published Jun. 7, 2012 as International Publication No.WO2012/075250, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/064980, filed Nov.14, 2012), and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/048993, filed Jul. 31,2012), and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US11/62755, filed Dec. 1, 2011 andpublished Jun. 7, 2012 as International Publication No. WO 2012-075250,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/CA2012/000378, filed Apr. 25, 2012),and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011,and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/588,833, filed Jan. 20,2012, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

Optionally, the video mirror display may be disposed rearward of andbehind the reflective element assembly and may comprise a display suchas the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240; 6,329,925;7,855,755; 7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,446,650; 7,370,983; 7,338,177;7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187 and/or6,690,268, and/or in U.S. patent applications, Ser. No. 11/226,628,filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008; and/or Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Thedisplay is viewable through the reflective element when the display isactivated to display information. The display element may be any type ofdisplay element, such as a vacuum fluorescent (VF) display element, alight emitting diode (LED) display element, such as an organic lightemitting diode (OLED) or an inorganic light emitting diode, anelectroluminescent (EL) display element, a liquid crystal display (LCD)element, a video screen display element or backlit thin film transistor(TFT) display element or the like, and may be operable to displayvarious information (as discrete characters, icons or the like, or in amulti-pixel manner) to the driver of the vehicle, such as passenger sideinflatable restraint (PSIR) information, tire pressure status, and/orthe like. The mirror assembly and/or display may utilize aspectsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190; 7,255,451; 7,446,924 and/or7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties. The thicknesses and materials of the coatings on thesubstrates of the reflective element may be selected to provide adesired color or tint to the mirror reflective element, such as a bluecolored reflector, such as is known in the art and such as described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854; 6,420,036; and/or 7,274,501, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the display or displays and any associated user inputs maybe associated with various accessories or systems, such as, for example,a tire pressure monitoring system or a passenger air bag status or agarage door opening system or a telematics system or any other accessoryor system of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle or of an accessorymodule or console of the vehicle, such as an accessory module or consoleof the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 6,877,888;6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,672,744; 6,386,742; and 6,124,886, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A vision system for a vehicle, said visionsystem comprising: a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle equippedwith said vision system, wherein said plurality of cameras haverespective fields of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; a processoroperable to process image data captured by said cameras, wherein saidprocessor processes captured image data to generate images of anenvironment at least partially surrounding the equipped vehicle; whereinsaid processor is operable to generate a three dimensional vehiclerepresentation of the equipped vehicle; a display screen viewable by adriver of the equipped vehicle, wherein said display screen is operableto display the generated images of the environment and to display thethree dimensional vehicle representation of the equipped vehicle aswould be viewed from a virtual camera viewpoint exterior to and higherthan the equipped vehicle itself; wherein the three dimensional vehiclerepresentation comprises a body type corresponding to that of theequipped vehicle and at least one of (i) a body style corresponding tothat of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a color corresponding to that ofthe actual equipped vehicle; and wherein a portion of the threedimensional vehicle representation is rendered as displayed to be atleast partially transparent to render viewable at said display screen anobject at or near the equipped vehicle that would otherwise be partiallyhidden by non-transparent display of that portion of the threedimensional vehicle representation.
 2. The vision system of claim 1,wherein the three dimensional vehicle representation of the equippedvehicle comprises (i) a body style corresponding to that of the equippedvehicle and (ii) a color corresponding to that of the equipped vehicle.3. The vision system of claim 1, wherein, responsive at least in part toprocessing of image data captured by at least one of said cameras, saidvision system determines the body type of the equipped vehicle and atleast one of (i) a body style of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a colorof the equipped vehicle.
 4. The vision system of claim 1, wherein,responsive at least in part to a selection input, said vision systemdetermines the body type of the equipped vehicle and at least one of (i)a body style of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a color of the equippedvehicle.
 5. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said vision system isoperable to adjust a degree of transparency of the at least partiallytransparent portion of the three dimensional vehicle representation. 6.The vision system of claim 5, wherein the degree of transparency of thethree dimensional vehicle representation is adjusted responsive to atleast one of (i) a distance from the equipped vehicle to the virtualcamera viewpoint and (ii) an aberration angle of the equipped vehiclefrom the viewing direction of the virtual camera viewpoint.
 7. Thevision system of claim 1, wherein the three dimensional vehiclerepresentation comprises an overlay that is applied to the displayedimages, and wherein at least one of (i) a noise level of said overlay isadapted to generally match a noise level in said image data captured bysaid cameras and (ii) a blurring level of said overlay is adapted to thespeed of the overlay relative to the displayed images.
 8. The visionsystem of claim 1, wherein the displayed images are enhanced by anartificial blooming effect around light sources meant to appear bright.9. The vision system of claim 1, wherein the displayed images areenhanced by having artificial lens flare overlays.
 10. The vision systemof claim 1, wherein a stitching borderline between images derived fromimage data captured by two of said cameras is adjusted dynamicallyaccording to structure appearing in image data captured by said two ofsaid cameras.
 11. The vision system of claim 1, wherein the field ofview of at least some of said cameras encompasses a portion of theequipped vehicle, and wherein captured image data of the portion of theequipped vehicle is transferred into a three dimensional vehiclerepresentation as seen from the virtual camera viewpoint.
 12. The visionsystem of claim 1, wherein the three dimensional vehicle representationof the equipped vehicle is generated responsive at least in part toinput representative of the body type and body style and color of theequipped vehicle, and wherein said input is provided at a vehicleassembly plant.
 13. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision systemcomprising: a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle equipped withsaid vision system, wherein said plurality of cameras have respectivefields of view exterior of the equipped vehicle; a processor operable toprocess image data captured by said cameras, wherein said processorprocesses captured image data to generate images of an environment atleast partially surrounding the equipped vehicle; wherein said processoris operable to generate a three dimensional vehicle representation ofthe equipped vehicle; a display screen viewable by a driver of theequipped vehicle, wherein said display screen is operable to display thegenerated images of the environment and to display the three dimensionalvehicle representation of the equipped vehicle as would be viewed from avirtual camera viewpoint exterior to and higher than the equippedvehicle itself; wherein the three dimensional vehicle representationcomprises a body type corresponding to that of the equipped vehicle andat least one of (i) a body style corresponding to that of the equippedvehicle and (ii) a color corresponding to that of the actual equippedvehicle; and wherein a portion of the three dimensional vehiclerepresentation is rendered as displayed to be at least partiallytransparent to render viewable at said display screen an object at ornear the equipped vehicle that would otherwise be partially hidden bynon-transparent display of that portion of the three dimensional vehiclerepresentation.
 14. The vision system of claim 13, wherein a degree oftransparency of at least a portion of the displayed three dimensionalvehicle representation is adjustable.